Seahorse Alternate: Todokanai Koi
by Vahn
Summary: Ranma and Michiru ended up happily ever after in {Seahorse}, we all know this, so how did things turn out this way? How did it all go so wrong? Unfortunately there was a player on the board that the two lovers could had never accounted for, after all, Ranma belongs in Nerima while Michiru belongs with Haruka. That is their fate, that is their destiny. Right?
1. Faded Memories

Seahorse Alternate: Todokanai Koi

Ranma 1/2 created by Rumiko Takahashi

Sailor Moon created by Naoko Takeuchi

Cameo: Ah! My Goddess created by Kōsuke Fujishima

**Readers**: Huh? What the- Dubya Tee Eff! Didn't you just have a comedy one not to long ago?! What the hell going on here Vahn?! Rabble Rabble!

**Vahn:** Why yes, this was actually written first and I made the comedy one because this got soo...emotional. As for why? I watched an anime called White Album 2 and then I read up on the game. Well after watching how it could elicited those emotion from me I wanted to craft something similar as a test of my skill as a writer. SO yeah! This is me flexing that Romance muscle and making it romance and suspense? Mystery? I am not sure how to classified it yet!

As for what does Todokanai Koi Means? The literal translation means Unreachable Love, if you were to look for that song and listened to it , (Ironically the 'Setsuna Ver'), that is what I am tailoring this fic after. The emotion conveyed in that moment.

I will give those of you actually took the time to read this fair warning. This will not be the clean love like in Seahorse nor would it be the super funny and cracky like Lost and Found. This is an attempt at messy love. You have been warned.

_**Special thanks to Vandenbz and Azaggthoth who worked hard and diligently to smooth this fic out! :D**_

_**Chapter 1:**_Faded Memories

*** Nerima Ward, Tokyo ****

Ranma crashed down into a coffee shop hard, startling the patrons of the establishment with his flashy entrance. Sitting upright immediately, he let out a loud groan. "Ugh, fuck me..." He mumbled in aggravation as he glared at the reason why he in the coffee shop in the first place.

"Moof!" Pantyhose Taro growled as he flipped Ranma the bird while still in his cursed minotaur form, hovering high in the sky.

Ranma Put his left arm across his right elbow to return a ruder gesture to the flying bull creature. "Kiss my ass," he snapped back.

"MOOFFFF!" Taro roared as he dive-bombed Ranma.

Dusting himself off, Ranma noticed that the patrons looked kind of afraid. Feeling bad, he put on his best winning smile. "It's gonna be alright folks, shit like this happens all the time around here. We'll be outta your hair in no time!" He said as he cupped his hands together, even as Taro closed in on him.

"Moko Takabisha, asshole!" Ranma shouted as he shot a full-powered ki attack into the diving bull. The impact caused it's body to double over and the force sent it flying off.

Flipping the bird to the now distant bull Ranma exhaled and turned around to the still scared patrons. "See! Nothing to worry about, no one's getting hurt on Ranma Saotome's watch," He declared confidently.

Ranma made for quite a sight, today he was wearing his navy blue Chinese silk shirt with his trademark kung fu pants... Which he was wondering if he'd need to replace after that fight. He had saved enough money to maybe take Akane on a date before this mess. After Jusendo he had decided that maybe it was time to give it a real effort regarding Akane or Ukyou. He could appreciate Shampoo but there was no way in hell he would go with her due to her grandmother.

Sighing because his clean shirt was now filthy, Ranma made to get out of the shop when he was stopped by a tug on his sleeve. Turning to look at the impediment, he noticed that a feminine hand was grasping at his shirt. Tracing the hand he noticed that the owner of said hand was a very pretty girl. Dressed in causal jeans and a t-shirt, the girl had a toned figure that most girls would envy though her bust size was nothing to write home about. Still, Akane was going to kill him if this turned out to be another fiancee.

"Ranma!" The girl with long ash gray hair addressed him familiarly.

Yep, he was a dead man.

"Who?" Ranma asked, looking at the girl that had her hand on his sleeve. She was shorter than him, reaching up to his neck only. He was about to tell her to let go before a certain uncute tomboy caught them in such a compromising situation but something about her coloration and the way she carried herself tickled at his memory.

Of course that was when Akane walked in and saw red. "Ranma! You jerk, here I was thinking you were hurt and you are flirting with some floozy!" She said angrily while giving the other girl a death glare.

To Ranma's surprise the other girl looked at Akane and then glared back, surprising both her and Ranma.

Looking apologetically at the grey haired girl he motioned with his head over to Akane. "Sorry, my fiancee usually likes to JUMP to conclusions before hearing MY side of the story or... I dunno, read the damn SCENE!" Ranma said as he narrowed his eyes at Akane.

Akane however glared right back at Ranma and stalked even closer to him with the intent of causing him great bodily harm. "Well, if someone wasn't a perverted playboy I wouldn't have to jump to conclusions, now would I?!" She growling out testily.

The two engaged teens glared at one another before turning away with a mutual "hmph".

"Fiancee? Ranma? Really?" The girl asked in surprise as her eyes darted back and forth between Ranma and Akane. "Excuse me for saying this but you don't act like it."

"It's not my idea, our parents engaged us before we were even born, hell I didn't find out about it until a little over a year ago." Ranma explained with a glare at Akane as he brought back old grounds to be tread on.

"Please, as if I wanted to get engaged to you," Akane said, trying to counter Ranma's argument and masking the hurt from Ranma's words. Sure she didn't want the engagement then but now... now she didn't mind it all that much truth be told.

For some reason the grey haired girl looked a bit relieved at hearing that. "So you didn't date or anything?" She asked as if the answer was very important.

Ranma gave the familiar girl an exasperated look. "You must be new around here. I hardly have time to date anyone. Everyone and their mother is out to get me engaged to their daughters." He complained, happy to have a sympathetic ear and a girl who actually seemed to be siding with him.

"Please, you exaggerate! Not EVERY girl wants you, you know. It's not as if you are that great and most of the engagements came from your father, they sure packed up quickly when they met you though." Akane huffed. Truth be told those girls liked Ranma but she wasn't going to let Ranma get a big head and let him think he was god's gift to women or something.

"You see what I deal with?" Ranma said, looking from the girl to Akane. "Every damn day."

Just as the familiar pattern was about to get underway with the two arguing, the second official fiancee made her presence known.

"Ran-chan! You're okay!" Ukyou cheered as she tackled Ranma in a hug. "I saw you flying off on top of Taro, figured you'd need some back up!"

"Ukyou!" Ranma protested at the girl's affectionate hug as he pried the girl off of him.

Ukyou pouted as Ranma detached her from his body but then noticed the pretty long haired girl next to Ranma, hand on his sleeve and looking at the scene in fascination. "Another one?" Ukyou said with a sigh. On looks alone this girl was pretty high caliber. Although stylish, her dress style suggested a very active person.

"No!" Ranma protested right away as he saw Akane nod. At the moment he was trying to figure out why she looked so familiar, so turning around he faced the girl who looked at him with a hint of fondness but nothing like Akane or Ukyou or... heck, any fiancee really. It was like she knew him and trusted him with the way she positioned herself near him.

"Umm, who are you anyway?" Ranma asked bluntly, while Akane face palmed at his rude manner and Ukyou waited patiently with her arms folded.

"You don't remember me?" The grey haired girl asked in surprise and quickly pouted.

Ranma looked her up and down, making the other two fiancees jealous as they thought that he was checking the girl out. The girl in question however was turning left and right like a supermodel as if trying to jog his memory.

"Ah!" Ranma said, his eyes widening and causing the girl to smile. "I have no clue!" He said snapping his finger and pointing at her.

After Ranma's two fiancees recovered from their face fault they were about to say something when a guy, pretty cute and who looked like he was in college, stood next to the girl. He was an older boy with glasses making for a cool look on him while he was wearing a suit and tie.

"Ranma-san?" The man said as he looked at Ranma with respect and fondness. "Still as powerful as ever I see."

Ranma however looked at how the man was standing next to the girl with fondness while looking at him. He looked familiar too.

"Ah, sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier, I was quite… startled by everything. We simply don't see stuff like that every day." The man said. "My name is Akira Mashiro, you probably don't remember me."

Now Ranma was really bothered, something about that guy looked and sounded familiar, he then looked at the grey haired girl again who was looking at him expectantly.

"Hmmmmm!" Ranma said as he started to massage his temples, hoping to jog his memories. "HMMMRRRMMMMMM!" Ranma groaned louder.

"Ranma, you know these two?" Akane said, curbing back her attitude a bit now that she was certain that the new girl was not after Ranma. Still, this couple was not the usual type who hung out with Ranma. Number one they dressed fashionably, number two looked rich and three they were well-mannered to boot. Not to mention the most glaring flaw, they didn't look much like fighters.

"Ranma honey?" Ukyou prompted.

"Akira-san what happened to the shop!" A gentle voice grabbed the man and the girl's attention. The girl's eyes widened as she smiled before looking back at Ranma.

"Ok, I might not be that memorable to you but surely you remember her!" The gray haired girl said as she pointed at the door.

Ranma and his two fiancees turned around and saw a normal looking guy who appeared kind of wimpy at a glance accompanied by an amazing black haired beauty. Red eyes, slim figure, the girl was dressed primly and conservatively. Once again something tickled at his memory as he stared at the girl.

In contrast to Ranma's confused face, the girl took one look at Ranma's face and her own lit up with happiness. "Ranma-san!" The girl smiled and went up to him, and much to the fiancees' shock hugged the even more confused boy like a dear friend. "It's been too long, how have you been?"

Akane and Ukyou however were not pleased. If the first girl was already pretty and high caliber, the new black haired beauty was on another level. Not only that she also looked pretty damn well off, so why would she even know Ranma?

"Ranma?" Akane growled. "Another one?!"

"Something you want to tell us, Ranma honey?" Ukyou demanded darkly as she folded her arms tighter around her body.

The black haired girl was startled by the killing intent from behind her and like the grey haired girl familiarly hid behind Ranma for protection as if she was confident that Ranma would protect her from all harm.

"Huh?" Ranma said, looking even more confused now as he looked behind the girl who had taken shelter behind him. The girl in question was suddenly pulled into her friend's embrace as she whispered something into the black haired beauty's ear, making her eyes go wide with shock and realization.

"So you two are Ranma's fiancees who are engaged to him that he didn't know about?" The black haired beauty asked as she peeked out from behind Ranma's back, the wimpy guy moved close to the black haired beauty's side a moment later and held her hand affectionately.

"I'm his cute fiancee!" Ukyou said in a friendly manner. Clearly these girls were taken so no need to be hostile.

"I am his official fiancee that has a bigger claim over a second one," Akane said also relaxing as she realized that the second girl was coupled up with the wimpy looking guy. "I'm also the only one that counts." She said defensively.

"Shinji-kun, you remember Ranma-san?" Akira said as he beckoned the young man over to him who was dressed in casual slacks and looking at Ranma as if seeing an old friend.

"I don't think I can ever forget. After all if he didn't bail us out that day…" Shinji said and then shuddered at the horrifying memory.

"Me too, that was why I took some self-defense lessons, to never be that helpless again," Akira affirmed, looking at the weaker young man beside him.

"Shin-ji?" Ranma mouthed. Now it was pissing him off big time. Akira, Shinji, the girls, they all sounded so familiar yet why couldn't he remember…?

"It's good to see you again Ranma-san," Shinji said, extending his hand to a dumbfounded Ranma as he shook his head in confusion.

"Uh… you too?" Ranma said, a bit lost as he shook the hand. "Ok, I give up who are you people?" He said as this was bugging him to no end.

"I guess there is no help for it." The black haired beauty said playfully to her friend.

"Well I can't really blame him. Back then you know who he only had eyes for, I wouldn't be surprised if he only saw us as background noise." The ash grey haired girl said with a dramatic sigh.

The two girls stood in front of Ranma and smiled fondly at him. "My name is Igarashi Tomoi and my friend name is Jun Kasaragi." The black haired beauty now identified herself as Igarashi said with a smile.

The two fiancees saw Ranma's eyes widen and his body stiffen as he looked incredulously at the two girls. His gaze flicking back and forth between them as if seeing them, really seeing them for the first time. It was amazing how his expression went from shock, fondness, familiarly and then strangely enough sad and sorrowful before perking up.

"Ah yes, sorry I didn't remember," Ranma said in a familiar tone as if greeting old friends. "You two grew up to be really pretty." He complimented, causing the two girls to blush.

"Ahem, well, yes, you didn't grow up half bad yourself. What's it been, three years now, four?" The ash grey haired girl, Jun, asked as she recovered.

"About then… yes…" Ranma said softly as he appeared to be lost in other memories. Shaking his head he turned to look at the two boys he now remembered also. "You two, sorry I didn't recognize you… you doing okay?"

Shinji and Akira smiled at Ranma and nodded. "We are not on your level but we are not as weak as we were back then, Ranma-san." Akira said firmly.

"Good to hear man," Ranma said as he patted the man on his shoulder.

"Okay, how about explaining for the people who don't know what's going on?" Ukyou with a very anxious looking Akane said as they looked at the group of what could only be old friends.

"It's," Ranma started and looked at his two fiancees, "Complicated. Besides, Taro is still on the loose. I need to make sure he doesn't make a bigger mess." He said, not wanting to bring up... her… around his two fiancees.

The two girls looked at each other and then at Ranma with a nod. "Ranma," Jun said, tugging on the pigtailed boy's sleeve again to prevent him from going. "Akira's company is holding a grand opening for their new mall in Minato, with party to celebrate an everything, it would be great if you'd show up so we could catch up on old times. That is, if you're not doing anything important..."

Ranma looked at the card given to him by the pretty girl and pocketed it. "Sure, I'll be there, be great to catch up right?" He said, nodding. "It was nice seeing you all again, really." He said as he sped out of the building and, to the two boys' surprise, jumped up high onto a rooftop to dash across it.

Akane and Ukyou however remained behind and looked at the two girls. "Okay, how do you two know Ranma and how come you were acting so chummy?" Ukyou asked bluntly as she watched Ranma's back disappear in the distance.

The two girls looked at one another before nodding. "We knew Ranma from our middle school days. Shinji went to the same school as Ranma," Igarashi explained as she took a good look at the two.

The first one was as short haired girl that was pretty cute looking, not pretty but cute. The second girl was actually pretty in a tough girl kind of way but her outfit seemed more like a cosplay costume and if she didn't know better she swore that was a giant sized spatula holstered on her back.

"Our school, St. Louise Academy, was an all-girls school located in the same district as Ranma's," Jun continued for her friend who was eying the two "fiancees" with curiosity.

"Wait, if you went to an all-girls school then how did you even get to know Ranma?" Akane asked, curious. Ukyou, who had gone to an all-boys school, nodded as she knew how rare it would be to meet girls.

The two girls exchanged a look before nodding. "It was because we were friends of Ranma's girlfriend." They said and watched the expressions of shock ripple across the two "fiancees" as if confirming something.

"Wait? Girlfriend? As in a GIRLFRIEND, girlfriend?" Akane asked incredulously. Ranma with a girlfriend, a real live girlfriend? No way!

"Depends, what do you define as a girlfriend?" Jun asked as she looked at Akane in amusement.

"Like… holding hands and stuff, go on dates?" Akane said lamely. Now that she thought about it, she didn't know what being a girlfriend truly entailed. People called her Ranma's girlfriend sometimes... she should know.

"Oh they did all of that and more," Jun said offhandedly which made Ukyou and Akane's eyes bug out.

"Su-su-surely no-no-not- not ki-ki-kis- kisssing too?" Ukyou stammered out as she felt butterflies in her stomach.

"Hmm, didn't we see them kissing one another quite hotly out in front of the school once?" Igarashi asked as if trying to recall a memory.

"Yeah! We did!" Jun said in a manner that said she had just recalled the memory but clearly she remembered it quite well. "Yeah, that was one of the few time we saw them kissing."

Akane looked like she was going to hyperventilate. Ukyou had fallen to her knees and looked lost.

"You... You girls... you girls are trying to rub this in our faces," Akane said suddenly as she realized this was a girl's attack. "Why?" She demanded.

It was Jun who answered as she looked at Akane coldly. "Because, you clearly have not made Ranma happy." She said in an aggressive tone.

"Jun!" Akira said firmly as he put his hand on his girlfriend's shoulder while looking apologetically at Akane.

"No, this is bullshit!" Jun shouted as she pointed at Akane. "She doesn't deserve to be with Ranma, you saw how she acted with him and she's his fiancee? Are you kidding me?"

"Hey what about me?" Ukyou said defensively. She knew how Akane and Ranma acted but she was quite friendly with Ranma. "I'm not like Akane at all, her temper is all her!"

"You have clearly been friend zoned and just haven't realized it," Jun said, glaring at Ukyou too.

"Jun! That's enough!" Akira raised his voice, causing the girl to look subdued. "I'm sorry for her outburst but Ranma-san is very dear to the girls." He said while looking at Igarashi and Jun.

Igarashi however looked at both Akane and Ukyou. Since she was not Akira's girlfriend she could say what she wanted. "A long time ago, if Ranma-san had not saved us, we would have suffered a fate worse than death. We want him to be happy, though it is not my place to judge, I want you two to know this. We have seen Ranma-san in love, we have seen how he looked at the girl he loves, those eyes do no look at you two that way."

With a polite bow Igarashi left followed by Jun and then Akira, only Shinji was left looking at a stunned Akane and Ukyou. "Please forgive my girlfriend's outburst but if it were not for Ranma-san's timely arrival three years ago... a group of thugs would have had their way with the girls. A few of us boys had been beaten down, if Ranma-san had not shown up..." Shinji trailed off softly. Bowing deeply once more the boy left the two stunned girls.

++++ Outside ++++

"You didn't see how that girl and Ranma fought Igarashi, they were like cats and dogs!" Jun said through gritted teeth.

"Well, what can we do? He is engaged." Igarashi replied.

"A bullshit engagement," Jun denied vehemently. "It was arranged by his parents, he had no say in it!"

"Yet we all know how much Ranma values honor, maybe that's what keeping him there?" Igarashi deduced.

The two boys in the back, one in college while the other inherited a family business, listened in on their girlfriends' conversation. Akira had told Shinji what he saw and what Ranma did. A few years ago he'd have thought that was amazing, now he could accept it thanks to how weird Japan had gotten. Why, there were even those Sailor Senshi in his district.

"Ranma belongs with Michiru," Jun said firmly in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Jun, Michiru is… taken now." Igarashi said looking softly at her friend. "She's happy, content."

"Michiru settled and you know it." Jun said, looking at her friend who was unable to rebut her. "I have not once seen Michiru look at that other girl like she did when she looked at Ranma, not once. It's fondness and familiarly but not the same kind of happy giddy love we saw."

"True but she's happy now and adopted a daughter also," Igarashi replied as she looked at her friend sadly.

"Is she really?" Jun said challengingly. "And from what I understand that girl was adopted by that other woman too. What was her name, Setsuna, so technically there were multiple parental figures for the girl."

"Don't interfere," Igarashi warned her friend giving her a look that conveyed her thoughts on the matter.

Not meeting her friend gaze, the gray haired girl appeared in deep thought for a moment before suddenly perking up and said. "Okay how about this, if you say their spark has died out and they are no longer in love with each other then let's have them meet."

"I don't think this is a good idea." Igarashi with a worried look and place her hand on her friend shoulder. "I don't think we should meddle..."

"Look, if they feel nothing then nothing will happen when they meet right?" Jun said firmly. "Besides, the way it all ended, it left a bad taste in my mouth. You clearly saw Ranma when we mentioned her, he still feels something for her."

"But he was the one that fell out of contact with her, not the other way around," Igarashi argued. "If anything it would be Ranma's fault that Michiru... moved on…"

"Maybe or perhaps Ranma couldn't get any his hand on any paper or all of his letters got lost. The point is she moved on and Ranma... Ranma is in a bad relationship." Jun said softly her eyes looking downcast for a few second before she pressed her lips together to show her resolve. "If that's what he wants I won't stop him but if it's just for honor then I say fuck that!"

The two were silent after that, neither saying much to one or the other.

"Well this is where Akira and I part, sorry the Cafe we decided on was trashed..." Jun said apologetically.

"Not a problem, see you at the party then?" Igarashi said softly.

"Oh yes, don't forget to make sure Ai comes from her office lady job!" Jun reminded her friend.

"I believe it's some kind of Disaster Relief office, not a regular office lady." Igarashi corrected her friend. Truth was she was not sure what Ai did. The girl had graduated and went to work somewhere she was not supposed to disclose.

++++ With Igarashi shortly afterward ++++

Watching her friend walk away she picked up the phone and dialed her friend, listening to the ring tone three times before an audible click could be heard. "Goddess Relief office, Ai Morisato speaking." A gentle voice said on the other end.

"You're silly!" Igarashi said with a laugh. "Goddess Relief office, really? Someone has a mighty high opinion of herself now huh?"

"Iga-chan!" Ai said joyfully on the other end of the phone. "How have you been?"

"Been okay actually, Jun and I met up for coffee but the place was in shambles when I got there," Igarashi replied warmly as she leaned into the phone. "Oh, you'd never guess who I saw at the cafe!"

"Who?" Ai asked excitedly. "A celebrity? Please tell me it was the Three Lights!"

"Ugh!" Igarashi said rolling her eyes. "Ai seriously, the Three Lights were like last year's news!"

"Never! They will always be number one in my heart!" Ai proclaimed loudly over the phone and was told to shut up harshly by someone in the background. "Ah, that was my aunt… heh heh."

"Well, anyway, I saw someone much, much better than the Three Lights." Igarashi teased, smirking over the other girl's protests over the phone. "It was… Ranma!"

There was complete silence on the other line before a loud whooping yell was heard through her receiver that made Igarashi pull the phone far away from her ear. For the next two minutes all she could hear was loud whooping noises over the phone.

"You saw him really? How was he? Did he grow up to be a super hottie?!" Ai said loudly over the phone, still clearly excited.

"Okay, I like Ranma as much as the next girl in our group but seriously you just acted like he's the second coming of... what's that westerner deity? Right, Jesus or something." Igarashi said archly at her friend.

"Don't be silly, that's not due for anoth-OW! Why did you hit me Auntie!?" Ai asked to someone clearly over the phone. "What do you mean restricted informa-oh heh heh, sorry."

"Hah hah! You're so silly!" Igarashi said fondly. Ai had become a lot more eccentric over the years. Fairies, different pantheons ruling different sections of Earth. She was a mythology fanatic that was for sure.

"Geez... some people..." Ai said over the phone before her voice clearly focused back onto her friend. "So... tell me, how was Ranma?" She asked excitedly.

"From what I saw, he's grown a lot more handsome and powerful than before. He's also engaged, though the girl he's engaged to kind of gave me bad vibes." Igarashi said softly as she gave her friend the news.

"Oh…" Ai asked softly over the phone line.

"I know that you always had faith that Michiru and Ranma would get together again but what's done is done." Igarashi said softly. "However, if you want to meet up with him again Jun invited him to Akira's grand opening party for his family's new mall."

"Oh, I would love too!" Ai said, instantly cheering up again. "I will definitely be there!"

"Jun had this crazy idea for Ranma and Michiru to meet up again though I think I talked her out of it." Igarashi explained uncertainty. "However, why don't you go talk to her and make sure she doesn't do anything crazy."

"Roger that," Ai said over the phone. "Oh! Hey, I got a call that I have to take so I'll see you next weekend!"

Igarashi smiled at her boyfriend who was patiently waiting for her to get off the phone. Shyly she intertwined her hand with his and leaned on his shoulder as the couple walked toward Shinji's cousin's home.

++++ With Jun ++++

The moment Igarashi was out of sight was the moment Jun took out her cell phone and speed dialed her friend.

"Hello?" A soft voice said on the other end. In the background sounds of a television could be heard.

"Ah, is this Hotaru-chan?" Jun asked politely. "Is Michiru home?"

"Ah, hi auntie Jun!" Hotaru said softly in delight. " One moment please, Michiru-mama, phone!"

"Hello Jun," Michiru greeted her old friend warmly. "It's been a while hasn't it?"

"And whose fault is it that, always canceling at the last minute?" Jun chided her best friend. "Hell, we can't even get coffee without being interrupted by one of your friends calling you or a family member taking sick or something. Honestly, sometime you act like the world was at stake or something."

"Oh it was Jun, it really was," Michiru said in a dead serious tone.

Jun paused in shock for a bit before the two friends suddenly laughed together through the phone. "AS if, you saving the world? Yeah and next thing you'll tell me is that the Sailor Senshi are all teenage girls!"

"But they are," Michiru answered flatly.

"Ahahaha! Stop it! You're making me pee!" Jun said as she laughed heartily at her friend's joking manner. Ah she missed this. Michiru actually wasn't so cold, only she and the other three could get her to open up like this.

"So what's been going on with you?" Michiru asked softly.

"Oh, this and that… oh and Akira's dad's company is throwing a grand opening party for their new mall in Juuban. Igarashi and Ai are coming, so you HAVE to come," Jun demanded of her friend. "Feel free to bring your friends and family and no excuses this time!"

"But what if a monsters attack and I need to sneak off to transform into a magical girl to fight them?" Michiru asked seriously.

"Oh my god, seriously! Stop, my stomach can't take it anymore!" Jun said, laughing hard before composing herself. "Look if a monster shows up, I"LL take care of it. You are staying your butt with us and we are all going to catch up. Understood?!"

"Yes, Drill Sergeant Jun," Michiru answered with an amused tone. "I'll be there."

"Good," Jun said as she hung up with her best friend. Closing her eyes she wondered if she was doing the right thing. Hearing Hotaru's voice cast some doubts but she wanted to be sure that they were with who they deserved to be with, not who they should be with...

Akira slowly placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort.

++++ With Ai ++++

Ai was excited. Finally, FINALLY she had the chance to act. The ban on Ranma had been lifted! "So, Auntie, Mom, you heard Igarashi." She addressed her two direct supervisors.

"Yes, Ranma-kun has finally made contact with one of you four," Belldandy said with a small smile.

"And the Saffron problem was taken care of by Ranma-kun just like grandpa wanted." Ai said while looking at her Aunt. "So, can you blind that meddlesome bitch now?"

"Ai!" Belldandy said in shock. "You are not too old for a spanking, young lady!"

"Sorry but you know what Pluto did and you let it happen!" Ai retorted. She had been so angry when her mother and aunt refused to correct Pluto's interference.

"Father's orders," Belldandy reminded her sadly. Ai had cried for weeks, unable to face her friends and Michiru in particular, after the interference by the Demi-goddess of Time. "Ranma-kun gave us the best chance to neutralize Saffron without directly interfering. As you know if we went to Saffron..."

"Yes... Granny Hild would have sent someone, thus neutralizing the two and leaving Saffron unchecked. I heard it before, doesn't mean I like it." Ai grumbled, still clearly not pleased with the whole situation to begin with.

Ai looked at the original file pertaining to Ranma and Michiru, they were originally supposed to be together. To be happy, have kids and have a happy ending. However, that did not lead to crystal Tokyo. A Ranma-influenced Michiru would trickle down to Haruka, then Hotaru and then the Inner Senshi.

In other words, it was not the future Pluto wanted. So she went back, found them at their most critical juncture and isolated them from each other.

With Ranma not showing up at Michiru's dorm that one final time to promise to come back and then his abrupt disappearance, Michiru had thought she had been abandoned.

Then all of Ranma's letters to explain the situation to his girlfriend were directed, by Pluto, to go to the Kaioh household where they were then kept from Michiru herself. So from Michiru's standpoint, she had been abandoned by the boy she loved. No letters, no contact.

For Ranma, he had forced his father to stay in one place long enough to try and get a letter from Michiru but no letters ever came. However he had still been hopeful that one day he'd meet her again and get the chance to explain to her why he'd suddenly had to leave.

However on the day Ranma went to Jusenkyo springs, his father had made a pit stop by a local village for supplies. An old T.V. had displayed news about one of Japan's best violinists being flown to America for an unprecedented tour, as a collaboration of rising stars.

Ranma had recognized Michiru right away as one of the rising stars, she had left the country unknowingly denying him the chance at reconciliation? That had left him distracted, so much so that he got cursed and did not even think to use the Spring of Drowned Man to cure himself.

Then when the cursed father and son arrived at the Tendo dojo. With no promise to come back to Michiru and with Michiru clearly out of the country Ranma was, for all intents and purposes, isolated.

Just exactly how Pluto wanted it.

Ranma, lost on what to do, latched onto the first person that showed any him warmth thereby ensuring his stay at the Tendo Dojo.

The thing that made Ai angry most of all was that her Aunt Skuld, of all people, had said that they should leave everything as was as it would benefit Asgard and later Ranma.

Ai had not understood at the time why her aunt would betray her like that but she did now.

Saffron would have caused a global fire and the only thing that could halt a fire of such magnitude was a great ice, summoned by a powerful woman who was not used to wielding such powers with precision. Thus she encased the world in ice and was considered the savior of the world.

The only grace that Ai was allowed to give Ranma was to remove him completely from Pluto's sight. So even after the battle at Jusendo the Time Guardian saw nothing.

Of course there was a stipulation from Kami-sama. If the two were meant to be together, despite the magic performed on them by Pluto and Asgard; if somehow Ranma found his way back to Michiru then Ai was allowed to lock down Pluto or, more specifically, her aunts were.

"You realize that a lot of people will be hurt by this, right?" Belldandy asked her daughter.

The only thing that would or could de-fang Pluto was Ai's two aunts. Lock down the future, lock down the past and Pluto would be only able to experience time in a linear fashion.

"Their happiness will never erase people's sadness," Ai said softly. "But their sadness shouldn't have to be a requirement for other people's happiness."

"Then no matter the outcome, you will accept it, correct?" Belldandy asked while looking at her daughter.

"I only want to give them a chance," Ai said softly. She remembered her most favorite couple. "If it doesn't work out then it doesn't work out. But they deserve that chance at the very least."

"Then Skuld-chan, Urd-chan," Belldandy said as she looked at the computer terminal and then at her two sisters who were also by theirs. "Do it."

TBC?

A/N: Special thanks once more to my two editor on this fic. Ya'll Rock! Honorable mentions goes to those guys over at the fuku temples for letting me bounce ideas back and forth!

So, now that we know there is one unaccounted player. Pluto.

Readers: Why Vahn! Why do you hate Pluto?!

Vahn: Who ever said I hated her? :D

As for why I am forever writing Sailor Moon and Ranma? I just want to :) Also I decided to exploit the AMG bit that I had seeded in Seahorse :D Planted a lot of seeds in Seahorse really time to harvest!

Anyway, there is a reason why I named this Seahorse Alternate : Todokanai Koi, it's not a Seahorse sequel AND the pairing of Michiru and Ranma is not guaranteed. That's why there no name tags either :D

This fic in itself would probably have low ratings and reviews. Why? Because it's Romance for one, it emotional action is two, and finally like others have said, not everyone can handle Romance :)

However, for those that do, C+C are always Welcome and Reviews truly appreciated :)


	2. Reunion

Seahorse Alternate: Todokanai Koi

Ranma 1/2 created by Rumiko Takahashi

Sailor Moon created by Naoko Takeuchi

Cameo: Ah! My Goddess created by Kōsuke Fujishima

**Special thanks to Vandenbz and Azaggthoth who got this chapter back in an amazing time frame! Thanks guys!**

Chapter 2: Reunion

**** Juuban District, Minato Ward, Tokyo ***

Michiru, aka Sailor Neptune, looked into the mirror of her vanity as she put the finishing touches on her makeup.

"Mmm, you look absolutely lovely." Haruka, aka Sailor Uranus, voiced smoothly as she came from behind her lover and wrapped her arms around her waist, taking the chance to kiss her neck.

"Stop it, I don't want to get chewed out by Jun for being late," Michiru answered in a teasing tone. She had to admit to herself that her reincarnated lover did look quite dapper in her tuxedo.

"Oh, and why would we be late?" Haruka said, trailing light kisses all up and down Michiru's neck and causing her to moan.

"That's mmmm, why mmmm," Michiru gasped in pleasure before the door slammed open and revealed a pretty Hotaru, the sometimes Sailor Saturn, dressed in a modest skirt and night patterned shirt.

"Michiru- Mama! Haruka-papa! How do I look?" The teen asked as she twirled around proudly for her adoptive parents.

"Very pretty!" Michiru said before she palmed Haruka's face and gave it a shove, particularly away from her neckline. She herself was wearing a pretty teal colored one-piece, slit up on the side.

Haruka, quick on the uptake, rolled on the bed and went to finish doing her tie.

"Ohh Michiru-mama, can I borrow some of your jewelry?" Hotaru asked hopefully. She was at the age where she wanted to look pretty.

"Help yourself," Michiru said as she slid her jewelry box over to her adopted daughter.

"So Setsuna declined along with Ami and Makoto, who said they had to visit a relative today." Haruka confirmed as she finished off her tie, even if it was a bit tight around her throat. "Naturally since it's a mall opening, Rei, Minako and Usagi will be coming."

"Of course." Michiru said, no longer surprised by the girls.

"Ohh, this one is pretty! Can I use this one?" Hotaru squealed in delight.

"Of co-" Michiru was about to say as she turned around, then she saw the item in Hotaru's hand. It was... THAT item. For some reason she felt fourteen again, her heartbeat sped up once more at the sight and what memories it stirred.

"Michiru-mama?" Hotaru asked as she put the beautiful carved Sapphire seahorse pendant around her neck and looked at herself in the vanity.

"Oh that's a nice one," Haruka said, looking admiringly at the Seahorse pendant. "How come I've never seen you wear that for any of our dates?"

Michiru closed her eyes and sat down on the bed to calm herself. It was over, what happened between them was over and he'd left her. He'd left HER, so she shouldn't be this affected by seeing it again.

"Michiru, are you okay?" Haruka asked, concerned upon seeing her lover's paling face.

"I'm- I'm fine," Michiru answered and was surprised by a slight wavering in her voice.

"Maybe we should stay in if you are not feeling well," Haruka offered.

Closing her eyes, she drew upon some of the meditative techniques HE had taught her and calmed herself. "No, we're going, Jun would have my head if I don't."

"Ohh, it looks better on you Michiru-mama!" Hotaru exclaimed as she had held the pendant up against her adopted mother's neck.

"No," Michiru said softly while looking down at the pendant. "I think it looks better on you, here let me help you put it on."

Hotaru turned around and felt the intricate gold string wrapped softly around her neck. "Thanks Michiru-mama!" She said, looking down in fascination at the pendant, completely charmed by its beauty.

"Well, looks like this fine looking family is ready, shall we go?" Haruka asked her lover and smiled.

+++++ Nerima +++++

"You sure I can come?" Akane asked anxiously.

"Yeah, I don't see why not." Ranma said as he tried to find a more formal Chinese style shirt to wear. "I mean, it's a mall opening, not a fancy wedding."

"You ready Ran-chan?" Ukyou said, dressing up in a suit and tie as she walked into Ranma's room.

"You invited her too?!" Akane shouted indignantly. Here she'd thought Ranma was going to take her on a date but now it was just another gathering of his damn fiancees. Why couldn't he just be brave and take the first step?

"Of course he did!" Ukyou said while hugging Ranma and rubbing her cheek against his. "Why wouldn't he want to show off his cute fiancee after all?"

"Ukyou~~~!" Ranma groaned in protest, not even trying to push her off.

"And you are just letting her drape herself all over you!" Akane said as she pointed at the duo.

"Well, if you don't want to go then I guess it'll just be me and Ran-chan here," Ukyou said while clinging onto Ranma some more.

"Like hell I'll leave you two alone!" Akane answered sharply as she wore her causal dress to what she thought was supposed to be a date.

Ranma's protests could be heard as Ukyou kept clinging to him even as they left the house.

**** Juuban, Mashiro Mall Grand Opening ****

"This is so awesome guys!" Usagi, Princess Serenity reincarnated, aka Sailor Moon gushed as she looked all around the crowded area. She was dressed in a simple white and blue blouse in contrast to most of the people in attendance.

Contrary to popular belief a grand opening of this size and the first shoppers were ALL V.I.P's. It was an exclusive event and Michiru had gotten her in!

"Yeah! I am so hitting that Kenneth Cole first!" Rei, aka Sailor Mars, said while looking at that shoe store hungrily. She was wearing a little beanie hat with a black plaid skirt and red blouse with ankle high boots.

"Hmm, maybe something from Vicki's Closet for my boyfriend," Minako, aka Sailor Venus, said lecherously. She unlike her friend let her hair flow freely behind her with a big red bow tied in it. She was dressed in shorts that weren't too high and a simple white t-shirt.

"It's Victoria's Secret," Hotaru corrected and then a thought occurred to her. "And you don't even HAVE a boyfriend!"

"Not yet," Minako said with a smirk but then waved to the crowd of men in the area. "Bet you there's a single rich hottie here somewhere."

"You're such a gold digger!" Rei told her blond friend. She knew it wasn't true, Minako had plenty of money from her idol days but still her criteria were a tad gold-digger-ish.

"You're just jealous." Minako said as she swayed her hips.

Usagi, however, was now eying the buffet table and all the exquisite high class food spread out on it before looking imploringly at Michiru.

Michiru gave a sigh. This was supposed to be their future queen and she didn't know any high society etiquette. "Yes you may BUT no more than five items to a plate. You don't want to appear unladylike."

Usagi took that as a signal that she could can now dig in, it was at a slower pace of course but she could still dig in and immediately rushed the table.

"Michiru, you made it!"

Michiru turned around and smiled at her friend, her smile only got bigger when she saw two very familiar faces flanking her friend.

"Damn Michiru, I forgot how hot your friends we-ouch!" Haruka had started as she eyed all of the three incoming girls only to feel a sharp elbow to her ribs.

"Hands off and they're taken," Michiru reminded through gritted teeth before turning to her friends. Jun, of course, was the first that torpedoed into her arms.

"It's been over a year since we've seen you!" Jun said accusingly. To her surprise the normally cold and aloof Michiru looked a bit embarrassed. This was the girl that she knew.

"Sorry, I've been busy-"

"Yeah yeah, saving the world and all that. I know, I know, you told me," Jun said dismissively.

Haruka, Hotaru, Rei and Minako's eyes bugged out as they stared at Michiru.

"But it's true," Michiru said with a serene smile over the strangled noises of her present Sailor company.

"Yeah uh huh, and I'm the Dalai Lama," Jun said with a huff. "Pull the other one Michiru!"

The Sailor girls recovered as they realized that this was all familiar banter and that Michiru had not revealed her night job to her friend.

"Hello Auntie Ai, Auntie Igarashi and Auntie Jun," Hotaru said shyly.

The three girls looked at Hotaru in shock. "Uhh, is this Hotaru? She's..." The last time they had seen the girl she was like... a lot smaller.

"She had a growth spurt," Haruka cut in swiftly and decided to take the attention onto herself. "And might I say you ladies look ravashi-urk!"

Michiru took her elbow once more out of Haruka's ribcage and smiled apologetically to her friends. "Down girl," She lectured.

"Yes dear," Haruka said and leaned in for a kiss that Michiru accepted with a roll of her eyes.

Jun, Ai and Igarashi looked away from the scene before turning back their attention to their friend.

"So lemme give your friends a little gift," Jun said as she passed out 50,000 yen gift cards to Minako, Rei and Hotaru. "When it opens after the ribbon cutting, help yourselves!"

The three sailor scouts looked at Michiru's three friends with wide-eyed shock before hurriedly saying their thanks.

"Think nothing of it!" Jun said easily. After all, compared to what she had it was a drop in the bucket.

"Do you mind if we steal her for a bit?" Jun asked Haruka who gave a gesture of giving up. "Thanks!"

"I'll be by the bar!" Haruka said as she went to get some drinks. She arrived only to find another person of interest already at the bar but she was not nursing an alcoholic drink. "Sup, name's Haruka, Haruka Ten'oh."

"Ukyou, Ukyou Kounji." The person, who was also in a tux, saw the figure next to her and introduced herself.

There was a bit of silence as Haruka ordered something also nonalcoholic before eying the other figure.

"You're not really a boy are you?" They both said in unison before laughing.

"I guess it takes one to know one right?" Haruka said with a grin as she toasted her fellow cross-dresser.

"Tell me about it," Ukyou said, thinking about another annoying cross-dresser named Tsubasa as she returned Haruka's toast. "Damn I hate shopping." She said after a moment.

"Then why are you here?" Haruka asked in a puzzled tone. To her it was simple, if you hate shopping then don't shop.

"Because of her," Ukyou said as she tilted her head over to a dark haired girl who could almost pass for Ami but she was clearly more fit.

"Ah, I understand. My girlfriend also wanted to come here, although mainly for her friends" Haruka commiserated.

"What? No! I'm not... I... I like boys!" Ukyou said hurriedly in a flustered tone. Her and Akane, like that? Ew! She'd take Shampoo before that would happen.

"Oh, so-sorry!" Haruka said, reddening also. Clearly her gaydar was off because she could have sworn there was a kindred spirit in Ukyou. "I had assumed with the way you were dressed and… sorry."

"Ah, it's okay, it happens..." Ukyou said, but she really did feel more comfortable in boy's clothing after all those years spent as a boy.

"So who is she then?" Haruka asked, changing the subject.

"Oh uh, my rival," Ukyou said darkly. "I couldn't let her go on a date with my fiancee!"

"What? Your fiancee's cheating on you?" Haruka said in shock. Righteous feminine anger writ clearly on her face.

"Well, no, he's not. Because she's his fiancee too," Ukyou said dejectedly. She didn't want anyone to think badly of Ranma.

"Wait, two fiancees?" Haruka asked incredulously.

"Three, four, who knows how many more…" Ukyou sighed. "It's not his fault though, his parents arranged the engagements for him without his knowledge."

"Oh, then why doesn't he just break them off and you know… pick one?" Haruka asked in curiosity. Who'd ever heard of being engaged to multiple people at once?

"Something about family honor," Ukyou grumbled. "Same reason why I am a boy too."

"Tell me about about it," Haruka said as she ordered two more drinks for her new friend.

+++ At the Buffet +++

Usagi was slowly partaking of no more the five portions per plate but she couldn't help the fact that five measly items a plate was not cutting it. It was going too slow! "Arrgh!" She whimpered as she saw that some of the premium dishes were disappearing already.

"You know if you want the stuff just take it," A male voice suggested from next to her, startling the twin pigtailed girl.

Turning around Usagi noticed that it was a handsome boy, older than her, with deep dark blue eyes that were very alluring in a way. "Ah, umm, hi!" She said lamely. Of course her love was Endymion aka Mamoru Chiba but there were no rules against window shopping.

"Ranma Saotome," Ranma introduced himself as he started to pile food after food item onto his tray.

'He's not even using a plate! What a boss!' Usagi thought in awe. The older boy was taking what he wanted however he wanted, despite the people looking at him. 'Urgh Michiru, why did you have to tell me I can't?!'

"Usagi Tsukino," Usagi introduced herself and eyed Ranma's tray of food enviously. "I was told that I could not have any more then than five items per plate... It wouldn't be proper."

"Who gave you that stupid ass idea?" Ranma said, offended. "If you're hungry, you're hungry, not good to starve yourself."

"My friend is not stupid," Usagi halfheartedly defended. It was the idea that was stupid she conceded mentally.

"Well tell you what," Ranma said as he took another tray. "Load this up with the stuff you want and I'll take it, that way I'm the one with two trays. This way I'm the one that looks bad."

Usagi looked at her new hero with shining eyes. "Thank you! thank you! thank you!" The girl gushed. Even Mamoru would not do that for her!

+++ With Rei, Minako and Hotaru +++

The girls were just mingling when they spotted a familiar figure from behind. Minako placed a hand her friend's shoulder and grinned. "Ami! Why didn't you tell me you'd be here?!" Only to be surprised a second later as the figure that turned around was clearly not Ami.

"Ah, Ami?" The Ami-like girl asked.

"Sorry," Rei cut in as Minako was looking extremely flustered now. "You look almost exactly like our friend from behind, except for maybe a lighter blue shade for her hair..." And maybe being able to bench press her, Rei added to herself silently as she noticed the girl's athletic nature.

"Oh!" The girl exclaimed in surprise at the mistake and waved off their apology. "It's fine, my name is Akane, Akane Tendo."

"Rei Hino," Rei introduced herself. "The blond is Minako Aino and the shy girl over there is Hotaru Tomoe."

"Nice to meet you,"Akane said warmly as she noticed that the girls were dressed very fashionably.

"So you excited for the mall opening?" Minako asked the Not-Ami girl. "I am so hitting up Victoria's Wardrobe!"

"It's Secret and you will not!" Rei said harshly to her friend, causing the new girl, Akane, to giggle.

"I was actually here on what I thought was a date but my fiancee has obviously left me to my own devices, the baka…" Akane said softly.

"Oh?" Hotaru asked sensing the other girl agitation. "Would you like us to find him for you?"

"Nah," Akane said waving it off. "He might be with his 'Cute' fiancee and I don't want to interrupt." She said sarcastically.

"Wait, I thought you were the fiancee," Minako said, confused.

"He has another one other than me," Akane explained and saw the look of anger on the girls' faces. She thought about letting it ride but decided against it, best to clear up the misunderstanding. "It's not his... fa-faahhh-fa- fault, there I said it, that he has multiple engagements."

"What? How can it not be his fault!?" Minako said indignantly. As the Sailor of Love and Justice and with Venus being the avatar of love, she would not stand for this kind of behavior! "He proposed to you!"

"Actually he never did," Akane corrected with a sigh. "Our engagement, like his others, was arranged by his parents. His father really, without his knowing in most cases."

"Oh," Rei said in understanding. As a shinto priestess she was more than familiar with Japan's ancient traditions. "That must have sucked for you both."

"Yeah... we didn't really get along at first…" Akane admitted to these girls. She didn't know why but she felt comfortable with them and they were the only girls her age around her.

"Can't you just break if off if you don't like him?" Hotaru asked as she looked at the girl, who was clearly looking miserable.

"He's… he's not that bad." Akane admitted softly, mostly to herself. "But I just found out recently that I hardly know him. In the two years we pretty much lived together I did not know him as well as I thought I did..."

"Oh? Was he a bad person or something?" Rei asked as she folded her arms over her chest and glanced around for a thuggish individual.

"Oh no, nothing like that," Akane said softly while looking at each of the girls. "I just found out that he had a girlfriend before me and he never told me... or anyone."

The three sailor girls looked at one another and nodded as they started to flank the dejected girl.

"Maybe he didn't want to talk about it because it's a bad breakup," Minako said softly. She knew all about bad breakups, why she broke up with boy bands constantly!

"Nah, I think he just doesn't trust me enough to tell me… like I said... we didn't exactly start off on the best of terms and most of the time we are at each other's throats." Akane sighed. "But I've seen his softer, gentler side... there's just so much I don't know about him that I thought I did. Like today even, the invitation to attend this grand opening, I didn't know he had friends that could invite him to events like this..."

Minako held both of Akane's hands and nodded. "I think everything would work out for you two if you persevere." She said firmly.

"Ah, this is so depressing and we're at the mall to boot," Akane said as she looked at the nearby clothing store. "Nabiki is going to be so jealous when I bring home some new dresses."

The three girls talked with one another as they watched the ceremony start to take place and crowded in closer to get a head-start on shopping.

Akane herself was surprised by Jun who was hostile to her before giving her a 50,000 yen gift card to spend. Ukyou received the same while Ranma was given a different card that didn't even have the yen amount label on it.

++++ The Four Goddesses ++++

The four girls who had been busy with school, life, saving the world and other duties found themselves in the VIP lounge, chatting in a very relaxed manner.

"And then I told Hikaru that he better clean up his act or else Auntie Skuld was going to beat his ass down!" Ai said with a laugh. "He was so scared, even though my Aunt was a lot shorter than him!"

The girls laugh at Ai's recounting of her boyfriend's antics.

"So did it work?" Michiru said mirthfully, she remembered Hikaru, the bad boy.

"Yes, he got into Toudai and is currently studying computer encoding and base line codes," Ai said with a sigh. Her aunt had turned her bad boy into a computer geek!

The girls were silent for a while, each lost in the past.

"So Michiru, are you happy?" Jun asked suddenly. "Ow! What gives Igarashi?!"

Igarashi had given Jun a hard glare as she stomped on her friend's foot.

Looking at Jun strangely she nodded. "I am very happy." Michiru replied.

"You know, back then, I always thought that you'd end up with Ranma," Ai said bluntly, causing Igarashi to turn to her and give her a hard look.

Michiru's body stiffened at the mention of her ex-boyfriend and she looked at her friends with a soft hint of betrayal. It was an unspoken rule to never talk about Ranma in front of her, much less mention him. She had spent many months crying over the boy who had abandoned her and they were all there for it.

Still, maybe it was time for her to move on... Ranma was... Ranma was special. He had forced his way into her heart at a time when she forced herself into his own. The bond they shared, the intimate moments, she would always recall fondly. He was literally the first boy she had ever loved and the only boy she could love. She had thought the same held true for him regarding her. That was a mistake on her part, one that she did not intend to ever make again.

Losing herself in her past life and her past love's arms was a blessing. It was less painful, Haruka was just as wonderful as she remembered in their past lives. She was… safe.

Still she was an adult now and it had been years, maybe it was time to address Ranma as a memory and not some boogeyman in her heart. "I- I did also," Michiru replied evenly as she contemplated sipping her tea. "I just didn't realize that he didn't feel the same."

Igarashi glared at both her friends, she had thought Ai was on her side but was very surprised when they told her that Michiru was on her way here. She had half hoped that Ranma would be unable to show up or Michiru would have one of those convenient family emergencies again. But to her ever-increasing anxiety both had shown up, although at different times.

Still if she could somehow get them to go the whole day without meeting one another then she will have won against her two meddling friends. She cared deeply for Michiru, partly out of guilt for the hazing back in middle school but mainly because she was a dear friend. Seeing her come with her family and friends only affirmed that they should not rock the boat.

So Igarashi was able to extract a promise from her two friends. They were to under no circumstances force a meeting between Ranma and Michiru, if it happened, it happened. It was Ai who had strangely convinced Jun to back off and agreed. So here they were isolating Michiru in this room, thus making it an impossible task for the two to meet.

"I still think that there was something seriously fishy with how the whole thing went down." Jun insisted, once more casting her doubts on the situation. Michiru had at one time believed her but weeks turned into months, and months turned into years and still nothing.

"The only thing wrong was me placing my faith and trust in him but he couldn't even be bothered to send me a postcard. Nothing." Michiru said in a hard tone of voice before embracing the calming seas of her power. "But what's done is done, Ranma is in my past."

Jun frowned while Ai looked a bit sad at what she heard but sighed. Igarashi exhaled softly. Poor Ranma.

Michiru nodded as she felt the need to get a bit of air and be held safely in Haruka's arms. "I'll going to check on my friends, I'll be back." She said politely before going out of the V.I.P. lounge.

The moment Michiru left Igarashi smacked Jun on the back of her head.

"Ow!" The ash blond protested. "That hurt!"

"Good! It was supposed to!" Igarashi said, meaning it. "You heard her, it's over."

"It's not over until the day is over!" Jun said halfheartedly.

"Let's go mingle." Ai said as she got up and followed after Michiru.

++++ Outside +++

"That's just insane!" Haruka said as she stared at her new friend at the bar as the other cross-dresser was telling her about some of her training. "Man, what's your shop's name? I gotta swing by sometime."

"Having fun I see," Michiru's voice cut in, the origin of which was looking at Haruka and the clearly cross-dressing girl.

"Oh hey!" Haruka said as she threw a hand over Michiru's shoulder. "This is my girl that I was telling you about, prettiest girl here bar present company of course." She said in a flirty tone.

Ukyou grinned at her new friend. "You better, I may dress like this but I was told I was pretty dazzling in a dress," She teased before turning her attention to the stunning green haired beauty next to the blond. "The name is Ukyou Kounji."

"Michiru Kaioh," Michiru replied politely as she looked at the cross-dressing girl and tried to picture her in a dress. She was right, girls clothes would definitely give her some feminine appeal.

"Hey check this out, this girl had her own business at sixteen, can you believe that?!" Haruka exclaimed in an impressed tone of voice.

"Oh how impressive," Michiru replied politely. It was a feat at sixteen to open your own successful business. "Maybe we should stop by sometime since you two seem to be getting along so well."

"Sure thing. It's in Nerima though, so I'm not sure how far you'd have to travel." Ukyou pointed out as she asked the barkeep to give her a napkin so she could write down the address to her place. "First one's free on me when you get to Ucchan's!"

Haruka felt Michiru stiffen in her arms and looked over to her past time lover worriedly.

"Uh, you alright sugar? You're looking kinda pale there..." Ukyou asked with concern, seeing that the girl appeared strangely rattled when she mentioned her restaurant's name.

'It's just a coincidence, just a coincidence.' Michiru thought firmly to herself. 'Elegant, ladylike, proper.'

"Sorry, I had heard a name like that... once before is all… a long time ago." Michiru explained politely and was proud that her voice sounded normal also.

"Hey Michiru, Haruka, made a new friend too I see!" Minako said cheerfully as the group of girls walked up to the trio.

Hotaru instantly went back to stand next to her guardians while Ukyou looked at the new girls who were accompanied by Akane.

"He ditched you too sugar?" Ukyou said as she toasted Akane with a Shirley Temple, virgin of course.

"You know if there's free food..." Akane said exasperatedly as she made to stand by Ukyou, the only other familiar face here despite them being rivals. The evil you know versus the evil you don't. Besides, the girls in her presence were making her feel inadequate, why did some girls have all the luck?!

"Akane Tendo." Akane introduced herself to the blond and teal haired couple.

"Haruka Ten'oh and Michiru Kaioh," Haruka introduced easily. "So this is the other fiancee right?"

"You told him?" Akane said, surprised at Ukyou just telling strangers about their situation.

"Him?" Ukyou said while giggling at Akane. "After being around me, Konatsu, and Tsubasa I figure you could be able to tell male from female."

Akane whipped her heard around and to the blond haired guy again and really gave him a hard look.

"Hey, the show's free but if you want to play it's gonna cost you," Haruka flirted, making the Akane girl blush only to be elbowed a second later by Michiru. "Sorry love."

"Love?" Akane said as she looked at the pretty teal haired girl and the blond cross-dresser. Wait… were those her arms around the other girl... perverts she instantly judged.

Ukyou groaned as she face palmed upon seeing the expression on Akane's face change. What was she thinking, of course she would be a prude when it came to things like this. "Akane, they are a very nice couple and will be visiting Ucchan's in the future."

"So-sorry," Akane said apologetically but just to be polite. "It's just that I've never seen… a… a…"

"A couple of raging lesbians?" Haruka said proudly before cupping Michiru's face and kissing her in front of the homophobic girl.

"Eep!" Akane said as she blushed and turned away just as she heard a loud smack.

"Ow! Why?!" Haruka said in a whiny tone as she nursed her stinging cheek.

"That's for showing off," Michiru chided while turning to Akane and offering a hand. "Sorry, she likes to shock people."

Akane shyly took the pretty girl's outstretched hand and shook it. Maybe lesbians weren't bad after all. Still perverted though.

Ukyou was then introduced to the other girls and extended them the same offer if they visited Ucchan's.

"Wow, poor meatball head. Missing out on a free meal, she'll be so devastated!" Rei said evilly.

"Hey now, it's not nice to leave your friend out, bring her along and I'll give her the introductory special also," Ukyou said magnanimously.

"Where is she anyway?" Minako asked even as Rei groaned and face palmed.

"Don't tell me she's been at the damn food table all this time!" Rei cried out. "That girl always thinks with her stomach, it's a wonder she's not a chubby little blond ball of fat!"

"Hey!" Usagi's voice said from behind Haruka who was standing in front of Michiru and shielding her. "Insulting me and after I brought you a nice little present too!"

Snapping her head to the side she was about to retort when she saw who was with her blond friend and started drooling.

"Rei, what are you looking - WHOA BABY come to momma!" Minako said as drool also leaked out of her mouth upon seeing the boy next to Usagi.

"And there he is," Ukyou said, pointing behind Haruka and Michiru and causing the two to turn around.

The moment they turned the boy in question's eyes widened and he stopped abruptly, startling Usagi.

Usagi, concerned, turned to talk to Ranma but noticed that his eyes were riveted in the direction of her friends. Turning to her friends she saw Haruka looking at Michiru who was staring right back at the boy. 'What's going on, wait is he staring at Michiru?' She wondered.

Akane and Ukyou's eyes widened as they recognized Igarashi and Jun along with a third divine-looking girl who looked back and forth between Ranma and the green haired girl. 'No way!' She thought as she put two and two together.

Ukyou herself also saw Ranma's middle school friends and noticed how Ranma's expression of shock was still glued to the aqua-tressed girl. Then he surprised everyone further with what he did next.

Eyes softening, an intense look came over his usually bright cheerful eyes as he looked at the teal haired girl and opened his mouth. "Michiru..." He breathed, the tone of his voice caressing the name in an intimately familiar manner.

Haruka's eyes widened as she felt Michiru shiver from being called in such a manner, by a boy no less! "Michiru you know him?" She asked her lover only to see that her lover was still busy examining the boy as if trying to burn his image into her mind. She did not like that at all.

'You're Ranma's ex aren't you?' Akane thought to herself as she stared at the beautiful green haired girl. How could she even compare to a girl like her? No wonder Ranma kept on calling her a tomboy or uncute, his ex was everything she was not and high caliber to boot.

Then to everyone's surprise Michiru's eyes hardened. She stepped out of Haruka's embrace and walked up to the pigtailed boy. What happened next surprised everyone present as she raised her hand and gave Ranma a loud resounding slap before pulling her hand away in pain.

To their surprise Ranma's arms shot out and grabbed the teal haired girl's wrist. "You really should know better by now that it hurts you more than it does me," Ranma said softly in a caring tone as he channeled his ki to heal the hand of his... one-time girlfriend.

"Oi oi! What are you doing?" Haruka said, stepping in close to her reincarnated lover.

"If I don't heal her hand it will be broken and bruised." Ranma pointed out as he stared at the guy who was standing protectively near his one-time girlfriend. He was smart enough to figure it out.

Michiru however wanted answers, she'd deal with Haruka later but right now she wanted answers. "You left me!" She accused him.

Ranma couldn't deny that he did leave her. "I did."

"You bastard..." Michiru whispered in a harsh tone as all her fears were confirmed. "You -!" She started to raise her voice again but instead opted to slap Ranma once more, leaving a small cut on his face due to her nails raking against his cheek but to her ire she was still unable to even get his face to move. Though her hand print was starting to show up.

"I'm going to leave now," Ranma said as he looked at Ukyou and Akane who were looking at him strangely. He then turned to the blond and nodded. "Take care of her." He advised the short haired blond before turning around and walking away.

Igarashi, Ai and Jun watch the scene unfold and felt their hearts break at the sight. Jun in particular had tears sliding down her cheeks as her plan to reunite the two lovers had failed horribly. Igarashi was right, all she did was cause them more pain.

Haruka was confused, as were the Inner's and their adoptive daughter but still kept a comforting hand on her lover's shoulder.

Michiru however was shuddering badly before she glared at at Ranma who was slowly walking away. Like hell she was going to let him walk away without getting answers. "Why didn't you at least tell me? Why did you not even let me know? Did I mean so little to you?" She said the last in a soft, hurt voice. She was surprised when she felt dampness on her cheeks, tears... she thought she was done shedding tears over Ranma.

It was then that Ranma turned around and looked at Michiru, confusion written as plainly on his face as ever, as if he didn't know what she was talking about. It was the same look he wore when he asked her about things he was unfamiliar with or wanted to know how he'd done something wrong that he didn't know about.

"You meant everything to me Michiru," Ranma said softly and heard the gasp from the younger girls next to Akane and Ukyou. "As for not at least telling you, I don't know what you are talking about. I sent you letters... you never replied." He said before looking at Haruka and letting out a sigh. "Though I can see why now."

With that last statement Ranma bled into the crowd and disappeared from the sight of the Sailor Senshi and one very confused but distraught girl.

"Michiru are you okay, who was that?" Haruka asked again as she tried to get her lover to focus on her.

Michiru however was staring at the ground, trying to figure out what Ranma was talking about. What Ranma said did not make sense, it did not make sense at all! The only letters that Ranma could have sent would have been to her middle school who would have had to forward them to the P.O. service she had set up otherwise her parents would have gotten them. After all, her parents disliked Ranma.

If there was one thing that Ranma was, it was that he was a horrible liar. He couldn't lie worth a damn when the stakes mattered.

His confusion was clear, Ranma HAD written her, yet she had not received any of the letters. Which meant that, if she had analyzed this situation correctly, Ranma had not forgotten about her. He had tried to contact her, for good or ill.

Her letters should have been forwarded to her new apartment at Infinity High rather than the Meioh household. Something was not right, something was going on.

"Michiru!" Haruka said loudly as she shook the green haired girl as she had been unresponsive for the past couple of minutes.

"Haruka," Michiru said as she gazed at her lover once more and felt the old reassuring feeling, yet... with that one line from Ranma her old feelings for him were threatening to surface and overwhelm her with happiness.

He had NOT forgotten about her!

Suddenly guilt struck her as she sank to her knees. What was she thinking about? She was with Haruka now. Why was she so happy?

Still... misunderstandings happened with Ranma all the time, could this have been one more misunderstanding between them? Michiru had to know, the need to know was overwhelming her senses.

"I'm, I'm fine..." Michiru said softly while trying to compose herself. "I, I just need a minute." She said as she walked off and left behind her stunned group of friends.

Michiru saw Ai, Jun and Igarashi look sympathetically at her before they flanked her even as she made her way to their V.I.P. room.

"I'm sorry Michiru, it was my idea to have you and Ranma meet," Jun said looking down at her feet unable to meet Michiru's eyes.

"I also wanted you two to meet," Ai said guiltily. "It was never my intention to cause you two even more pain."

Igarashi just held onto her friends but they were surprised by the cool and calm demeanor of their friend who had a determine look on her face.

"It's okay," Michiru said softly before her friends let her go and followed her inside to the lounge.

As the three girls filed in Michiru looked at her old friends and nodded. "I- I am going to need your help." Michiru admitted, looking at the three girls. "I need you to help me find out why I never received Ranma's letters."

Her stalemate surprised her three friends. "Letters?" Igarashi tentatively asked looking at her friend in confusion.

"Yes, Letters," Michiru said as her mind started to focus on the tasked at hand. "He said that he sent me letters. I am inclined to believe him, after all he never could lie convincingly. I want to know why I did not received them."

Only Jun and Igarashi gasped at Michiru's declaration. Ai however was beginning to have a sinking feeling that things were about to get a lot messier before all was said in and done.

Michiru wanted closure, as a Senshi she was content with her past life's persona. Yet her present life, the one that she had lived for the first 15 years of her life, was refusing to quiet down. She would have to put it to rest by finding out the truth.

TBC.

A/N: And so it begins! While I came up with the idea and rough outline, it is only with Vandenz and Azaggthoth help that this have turn so smooth like whip cream.

Both of these were written at the same time then went into editing which went by really fast! They're awesome amirite?

Anyway I don't have much to say so I decide to use this space to answer a few questions instead.

Yes I am going for gut punching and heart breaking :D Thanks for the words of encouragement, as expected the Romance tag weights it down but at least I get nice feed back :D As for will their ever be a version with a Sailor Harem? No.

As for Phantom, thanks but you should comment more most authors would appreciate it :D I know I do ^_^

Hope you guys enjoy :D

As always C+C Welcomed Reviews appreciated.


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